Attachment for rocking-chairs.



No. 718,394. PATENTED JAN. 13

F. SIEGRIST. ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING CHAIRS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FRANK SIEGRIST, OF COOPERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR ROCKING-CHAIRS.

SYEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 718,394, dated January 13, 1903- Application filed March 19, 1902. erial No. 98,998. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SIEGRIST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coopersburg, county of Lehigh, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and use-.

' sists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

I11 order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rockingchair with my attachment applied thereto, it being shown in the normal position in full lines and in its operative position in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the attachment by itself; Fig. 3, a cross-section through the connecting-rod.

In the drawings, A represents the curved contact-arms, which are pivoted at the point B to the inside of each rocker of the chair. The outer end of the arm A carries a cup 0, in which is secured a rubber cushion D.

E is a connecting-rod extending across underneath the seat of the rocker'and is pivoted at each end in the bearings F, secured to the under side of the seat. Upon each end of the connecting-rod is secured the short levers G, to the outer end of which are pivoted the nipples H, in which are threaded the rods I, which extend downward and are pivoted at their lower end at the pointJ to the arms A. This pivotal point is eccentric to the pivotal point B of the arm, and therefore if the rods I are depressed the arm A will be swung upon its pivot B, which will bring the contact-cushion D below the level of the rocker of the chair when the chair is tilted back and prevent the chair from thus rocking forward. The arm A when in its normal position is entirely above the lower surface of the rocker, and therefore does not prevent the rocking of the chair. When the arm A is swung downward, the cushion D will be in a line or past the center of the pivot A, and therefore will not be returned to its normal position by the weight of the chair.

For the purpose of rocking the connectingrod E, and thereby depressing or raising the rods I, I provide upon one end of the rod the hand-lever K, which extends out to one side of the chair in easy reach of the occupant thereof.

For the purpose of allowing my attachment to be fitted to any size chair I construct the connecting-rod E of two parts E and E The part .E is a sleeve into which fits the part E, and the part E is flattened slightly, and the cavity in the sleeve E is formed to correspond to the shape of this flattened portion, as shown in Fig. 3. This will allow the rod to be turned and also allow it to be adjusted laterally to be" fitted to any width'of chair. are threaded within the nipples H, and therefore may be adjusted as to height.

It is a well-known fact that it is sometimes desirable to tilt a rocking-chair backward for the purpose of changing the position and resting the muscles. This is usually done by rest ing the feet on some other object. The advantage of my invention is that by simply depressing the lever K, at the same time tilting the chair backward, the chair can be held in this tilted position Without any further exertion upon the part of the occupant and can be just as quickly returned to its normal position. Another advantage of my invention is that when it is desired to place small children in a rocking-chair this can be easily accomplished without placing blocks or other objects underneath the rockers.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatl claim as new and useful is 1. In an attachment for rooking-chairs,con-

The rods I- tact-arms pivoted to each rocker intermediate of the legs of the chair, means to be operated from the seat of the chair for swinging, said arms upon their pivot beyond a vertical line, and a stop for limiting the movement of the arms after they have passed the center, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. In an attachment of the character described, contact-arms pivoted to the rocker of the chair, a rubber cushion secured to the outer end of the arm, a connecting-rod running laterally across the chair upon the under side of the seat, a bearing in which said rod is journaled, levers secured to each end of the rod, rods pivoted at their upper end to the outer end of the levers, their lower ends being pivoted to the contact-arms eccentrically to their pivots, a hand-lever secured to the connecting-rod for the purpose of rocking the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an attachment of the character described, curved contact-arms pivoted to the inside of the rockers of the chair, cups formed in the outer end of said arms, rubber cushions secured in said cups, said contact-arms 'rlaeee when in their normal position lying above the under surface of the rocker, but when rocked upon their pivots will bring the rubber cushion in contact with the floor below the surface of the rocker, a connecting-rod extending laterally across the under side of the seat, bearings secured to the under side of the seat in which said connecting-rod is journaled, said connecting-rod composed of two parts, one part sleeved in the other, flattened surfaces formed upon the male part, the cavity in the female part formed to correspond with the flattened surface, short levers secured to each end of the connecting-rod, nipples pivoted to the outer end of the levers, rods threaded in said nipples, the lower end of said rods pivoted eccenlricallyto the contact-arms, a handleversecured upon one end of the connectingrod, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK SIEGRIS'I.

Witnesses:

DANIEL H. FLIoHE, JEREMIAH H. FETZER. 

